In the days of sailing, experienced captains knew the benefits of using underwater currents, which accelerated ships, thereby reducing travel time. The international group of astrophysicists is confident that something similar awaits humanity in outer space. Pravda. Ru talked to Boris Morozov, a researcher at the IKI RAS, about the possibility of using gravitational currents between planets to accelerate spacecraft.
The gravitational fields created by objects in the solar system are very diverse in strength, shape and direction. Computer simulations made by scientists from the United States and Germany have shown that in the vicinity of the Sun you can find many places where the interaction of gravitational fields generates phenomenal phenomena.
Scientists have long known the so-called Lagrange points - positions in outer space where the gravitational fields of large celestial bodies balance each other and allow smaller objects to be in a stable position.
One such point between the Earth and the Moon is currently being used by the space telescope satellite SOHO, which observes the solar corona.
Astrophysicists have demonstrated on a computer model that the Lagrange points are interconnected by a kind of "tunnels" - areas of space where small bodies can move without overcoming the rotational force of the planets.
Traveling along such "corridors" will reduce the load on the spacecraft's engines and thereby reduce fuel consumption. Moreover, among these "tunnels" there are those that can themselves accelerate objects.
Once inside the gravitational current, the spacecraft will seem to begin to fall along it with a given acceleration. By jumping from one "corridor" to another, spacecraft will be able to reach other planets with minimal energy costs.
According to the forecast of scientists, fuel consumption for such a gravitational transport will fall exclusively on maneuvering - taking the ship to the starting position, moving between gravitational "tunnels" and so on.
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The model of the international scientific team became a theoretical confirmation of the previously discovered phenomenon, thanks to which the artificial Earth satellite "Genesis" was launched in 2004 to a given research position.
This spacecraft spent on its scientific mission 10 times less fuel than it was calculated, since it was able to reach the final point of the route through near-earth gravity "tunnels".
Pravda. Ru turned to Boris Morozov, an employee of the Institute of Space Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, with the question: "Will humanity expect fast interplanetary space transport in the future?"
“Of course he is. If we were talking about a hypothetical computer model, then it took a lot of effort to test and prove these gravitational phenomena in practice.
We are fortunate, however, that the discovery of these gravitational "tunnels" took place much earlier than a rigorous theory was developed to explain their origin. We already know how you can use them.
Now there is a reassessment of the attitude of people towards space and its exploration. Fundamentally new spaceships are modeled, revolutionary discoveries are made in the design of engines. Therefore, it is too early to talk about how the operation of the “tunnels” will look like in practice, what vessels will go along these fairways.
It will take several years, maybe a quarter of a century, for us to learn how to use the gravitational phenomena of the solar system to speed up and simplify long-distance space travel. At the same time, having mastered this technology once, we will be able to apply it in practice to move between star systems, and maybe between galaxies.
Of course, this is not the hyperspace travel that science fiction writers have dreamed of for the past fifty years. Nevertheless, gravitational flights across the solar system will already become a giant step towards the development of the entire universe."
The history of mankind is subject to the action of its own laws, which make its events repeat themselves.
PAVEL URUSHEV